1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an armrest for integral use with an automotive seat, and particularly to an armrest of the type provided rotatably on the lateral wall of the seat back of the seat, which permits the armrest to be rotated between an upright non-use position and horizontal use position.
2. Description of Prior Art
FIG. 1 shows a conventional armrest of the type rotatable laterally of seat back of a seat. Reference characters (SB), (4) and (A') refer to a seat back, seat back frame, and armrest body, respectively.
The armrest body (A') is composed of a frame (F'), a foam padding (P') and a surface covering (S'). The frame (F') is covered with the padding (P'). The padding (P') is in turn affixed with the covering (S').
A support rod (1) is at its one end firmly supported by a bracket (5) integral with the seat back frame (4). Another end of the support rod (1) extends from the lateral wall of the seat back (SB) to penetrate through the base end part of the armrest body (A'). In other words, upon such free end of the rod (1), the armrest body (A') is supported rotatably.
Within the armrest body (A'), a stopper plate (3) is welded fast or spline connected to the foregoing another free end of the support rod (1). The stopper plate (3) is formed with an upper limit projection (3a), a lower limit projection (3b) and a arcuate edge part (3c) interposed between those two projections (3a)(3b). Further, within the armrest body (A), a pin (2) is fixed on the inner surface of the frame (F), such as to be in a sliding contact with the arcuate edge part (3c) of the stopper plate (3).
With the construction, the armrest (A') is rotatable within the range between the upper and lower limit projections (3a)(3b); namely, when rotating the armrest (A') upwardly to an upright non-use position, as in FIG. 1, the pin (2) is also moved slidingly along the arcuate edge part (3c) to contact the upper limit projection (3a), whereupon the projection (3a) limits the upward rotation of the armrest body (A) so as to place the armrest body (A') in a non-use position. Reversely, when rotating the armrest body (A') forwardly to a horizontal use position, the pin (2) is then moved slidingly along the arcuate part (3c) to contact the lower limit projection (3b), whereupon, by being limited by the projection (3b) against downward rotation, the armrest body (A') is set horizontally in a use position.
However, it has been found defective that, in assembling the armrest, to fix the stopper plate (3) on the rod (1) in the armrest body (A') requires troublesome steps for firstly mounting the armrest body (A') upon the rod (1) before fixing the stopper plate thereon, which means that the armrest body (A') is not used as it is but needs to be specially modified for allowing access of the stopper plate (3) thereinto. Consequently, the prior art structure of the armrest remains to leave a poor aspect in its assemblage.